Means for incasing wells



Nova 4 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 9, 1922 fay. 2.-

R. M. M LAlN MEANS FOR INCASING WELLS 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed May 9, 1922 fiaber M. 1% Zaire attozweq Y NOV. 4 I

R. M. M LAIN MEANS FOR INCASING WELLS Filed May 9, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5fi oberl [31. MCZcMm Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT 1a. MCLAIN, or roar woarn, TEXAS, nssieivon or ONE-HALF TO EUGENEA. REILLY, or roar WORTH, TEXAS.

MEANS For. INCASING WELLS.

Application filed ma 9, 1922.

T0 ,aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT 1V1. MGLAIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Forth North, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for IncasingWells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for incasing or liningwells, particularly oil wells.

The invention has for its object, primarily, to guard against or preventthe caving or breaking of the wall of the well, which resultant brokenpieces of the well-wall would otherwise drop into or accumulate in thebottom of the well, all of which are obviated by the use of myinvention.

A further object of the invention is to provide for carrying out theaforesaid pur pose in an extremely simple, inexpensive and effectivemanner.

Other objects of the invention, together with the foregoing, will befully apparent from the following description and accompanyingillustrations or drawings.

The invention consists, therefore, of certain instrumentalities andfeatures of construction substantially as hereinafter more fullydisclosed and pointed out in the claims.

Thedrawings disclose the preferred embodiment or one form of myinvention wherein it will be understood that various changes andmodifications as relate to the detailed construction and arrangement ofparts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of myinvention as covered by the appended claims, and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a mutilated side elevation and vertical sectional view of myinvention, the casing being in its initial or une-Xpanded position. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the invention, the casing being in itsexpanded position as in positioning it for forming the lining.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 1 and 5 are a mutilated side eleva tion and a sectional elevation,respectively of the device.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View of a casing blank of modified form ofsecuring the lateral or meeting edges or portions thereof together.

Serial No. 559,527.

Fig. 6' is a view of the'well-casing shown in the form of a helix. Fig.7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 4;. Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 ofFig. 5% Fig. 9 shows more particularly thew'ell casing in its expandedcondition, within the we In carrying out my invention, I take a sheet ofpreferably spring-steel, designated generally as 1, and roll or coil thesame upon a suitable mandrel, to impart to said steel sheet a tubular orcylindric form, which is to constitute a casing or lining for insertioninto a well, especially for oil. Such lining or casing is adapted, byreason of its inherent or' characteristic lightness and resiliency, whenwound or coiled, as indicated, in the well, to provide for effectivelyand practically automatically retaining the casing or lining in positiontherein. In disclosing more fully one way for practicing my invention, Iprovide the spring-steel plate with a plurality of perforations 2, aplurality of dogs or lugs 3 being pivoted to the tubular tool 4:,adapted to be received centrally within the wound or coiled memher 1,and whereby, upon such conjunction or engagement of said dogs or lugswith the perforations 2, the thus wound, coiled, or compressed casing orlining will preliminarily beretained in such compressed position orcondition and allow said casing or lining to be brought within thelimits of the interior of, and to be inserted into the well, as would bethe case when the parts assume the position as indicated in Fig. 1, morfully made apparent later. I

The pivot-connection between the lugs or dogs 3 and the too-l 4 iseffected by means of pivot-forming pins 5, as clearly seen in Fig. 3,suitably headed and inserted through the lugs or dogs and the toolmember. The lugs or dogs 2 are retained and sprung into the retractedposition, as disclosed by Fig. 2, by springs 6 adapted to engage theinner ends of said dogs and the tool 4, as disclosed by Figs. 1 and 2,when the casing is in the position as indicated in Fig. 2, i. e., whenthe mandrel Or member 1 is to'be withdrawn, in which event the casing orlining 1 is in encased-position against the wall of the well, and thelugs or dogs 8 are released from the perforations 2 at their free ends.The mandrel 1, it will be seen, is adapted to extend when in theposition as indicated in Fig. 1, as also when in the similar cap 8 andthe cap 8 with a loop or bail 10, the cap 8 also being provided with abail 11 for the attachment thereto, of a line or cable, for the likepurpose as indicated in connection with the loop 10, the latter line orcable also not being in evidence. Suitable hook-like memhere 12 aresecured at their upper ends to the collar 9, with their lower inwardlycurved or hooked terminals adapted to have an outwardly springing actionunder the tripping or downwardly thrusting or depressing action of thetool 4:. The lower or hooked terminals of the members 12 are adapted toengage or hook under the lower edge of the gmember 9 carried by thelower portion of the members 9.

the tool 4, as seen in Fig. 1, the latter then being in its depressedposition or resting upon the bottom of the well and the hooked members12 being held in engagement with A wooden pin 14 is preferably insertedtransversely through the tool 4 to hold the parts in position. The tool4 has a lower spherical or stubbed terminal, as 4, to prevent itcatching into the wall of the well. The device, with the hooked membersthus positioned, is lowered into the well, and as the lower end of thetool strikes the well-bottom, it is forced upwardly, the pin 14 issheared off and the lugs or dogs 3 are disengaged or released from thecasing or lining, allowing the dogs or lugs to be withdrawn into thecasing or lining and the spring hooks 12 are disengaged from the member9 and allowed to spring outwardly. Simultaneously with the release ofthe lugs or dogs, the released resilient or springsteel casing or liningwill, under recoil action thereof, be thrust with great force againstthe wall of the well and be there firmly retained by its expansiveaction. The mandrel is then capable of being drawn from the well bypulling on the tool manipulating line, and in so drawing the tool andmandrel from the well, the spring members 12 are forced outwardlyagainst the casing or lining and force it into more effective engagementwith the Walls of the well. The casing may be adapted to be positionedat any depth in the well by accordingly lengthening the required pipingor pluralizing the pipesections. As for instance, when it is desired to.sink the casing, say twenty feet from the bottom of the well, twentyfeet of what is termed anchor-pipe may be used, and when this strikesthe bottom, it would trip the tool twenty feet up the well and providefor positioning the casing at that point. Or should it not be desirableto use the anchor, 22 line may be attached to the loop 10, Figs. 1 and2, and the tool be tripped by pulling upon the line at any point alongthe well.

In the modification as disclosed by Fig. 5 are shown the ends of thecasing bent or deflected to spring into engagement laterally with thewall of the well, as at 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a blank of the casing or lining withmeans for effecting connection between onelongitudial edge thereof andthe opposite portion of the blank, comprising interlocking tabs 3 andperforations 5 Fig. 6 shows a modified form of the well casing member,in which the casing is wound after the fashion of a helix, as 6 It willbe understood that various changes may be made than those disclosedherein in perfecting the details of the invention without departing frommy invention and the spirit or scope of the claims as above set forth.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a well-incasing orlining device, the combination of a tubular .or cylindricinstrumentality adapted to form the wellcasing or lining, and comprisinga resilient springy-metal-member, a mandrel about which saidspringy-metal-member is adapted to be wound and means carried by'saidmandrel for connection between the overlapping coiled portions of saidtubular instrumentality, and means for releasing said coiled portions,whereby said instrumnetality will be adapted to expand and be applied tothe wall of the well.

2. In a well-incasing or lining device, the combination of a tubular 0rcylindric instrumentality comprising a resilient springy-metal-memberadapted to form the well-casing or lining, a tubular tool forarrangement within said instrumentality or casing, lugs pivotallyconnected to said tool and adapted to project through apertures in saidinstrumentality or casing, and means for retaining the lugs in operativeposition but movable for retracting said lugs into said instrumentalityor casing to release the expansive action of the latter and forciblythrust said casing into contact with the wall of the well.

3. In a well-incasing or lining device, the combination of a cylindricinstrumentality comprising a resilient springy-metal-niember adapted toform the well-casing or lining, a mandrel about which said casing'isadapted to be wound, a tool having spring pressed lugs effectingconnection between said mandrel and said well-casing or lining andadapted to project beyond said Well casing to retain said casing againsttemporary recoil action, said tool having longitudinal movement toprovide lOr effecting the projecting of said lugs, also the retractingof said lugs into said casing in releasing the expansive action of saidcasing for forcibly thrusting the casing against the wall of the well asthe tool is moved upwardly in releasing its action upon said lugs.

4:, In a well-incasing or lining device, the combination of a cylindricinstrumentality adapted to form the well-casing or lining comprising aresilient springy metal-member, a mandrel about which thespringymetal-member is adapted to be wound, a tool having spring-pressedlugs effecting connection between said mandrel and the well-casing andadapted to be projected through and beyond said well-casing and to beretracted into said well-casing by the vertical movement of said tooland resilient members carried by said mandrel under ten sion and adaptedto be released and sprung outwardly to press the casing into moreel'lective engagement with the walls of the well.

5. A well casing or lining formed o1 a tubular or cylindrical springymetal memher and means applied thereto for effecting frictional contacttherebetween and the Wall of the well.

6. A well-casing or lining of tubular springy metal, means adapted toeffect frictional contact with the wall of the well and of hooked andannular formation and an ranged to be applied to the lower or anchoringterminal of said casing.

E". In a well casing or lining device, the combination with a tubularlining, of a device adapted to support said lining, resilient memberscarried by said device in their compressed position, and means wherebywhen the lining or casing is released from said device, the springmembers will be released and a lowed to spring outwardly to press thelining or casing against the side of the well.

8. In a well casing or lining device, a tubular casing, means to lowerthe easing into the well, and resilient means carried by said loweringmeans and adapted during withdrawal of said lowering means, to press thetubular easing into more effective engagement with the sides of thewell.

In testimony whereof he allixes his signature.

ROBERT M. MoLAIN.

